Furnace for the annealing, hardening, quenching, or like heat treatment of metals and the like



A. SMALLWOOD.

FURNACE FOR THE ANNEALING, HARDENING, QUENCHING, 0R LIKE HEAT TREATMENT0F METALS AND THE'LIKE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.1918.

Patented May 11, 1920.

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Hlll lllll I ll |||l| A. SMALLWOOD. FURNACE FOR THE ANNEALING,HARDENING, QUENCHING, 0R LIKE HEAT TREATMENT OF METALS AND THE LIKE.APPL|CAT|0N FILED JULYTBI, 1918.

Patented May 11; 1920.

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m m III l a I I n 1 O m v WT ,5? 255:? n m n UNITED sTATEs PATENToEEIoE.

ALFRED SMALLWOOD, OF HIGHGATE, LONDON, ENGLAND.

FURNACE FOR TI-IE ANNEALING, HAEDENIEG, QUENCHING, on. LIKE HEAT TnEAT-MEN'I. 0E METALS AND THE LIKE.

Patented May 11, 1920.

Application filed July 31. 1918. Serial No. 247,641.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED SMALLwooD, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at 42 T-largrave Park, Highgate, London, l l., in thecounty of Middlesex, England, metallurgist, have invented Improvementsin or Relating to Furnaces for the Annealing, Hardening, Quenching, orlike Heat Treatment of Metals and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention comprises certain improvements in or relating to furnacesfor the annealing, hardening, quenching, or likeheat treatment ofmetals, and the like.

A feature of the present invention lies in the method of which itpermits of introducing articles into a chamber sealed by water or otherliquid. By the present invention it is possible to introduce goods intoa' liquid sealed heating chamber in such a manner that the introducingprovision is not within the heating chamber during the heat treatment.By the present invention it is further possible to treat in such asealed chamber, articles such as tubes, rods, and the like which are ofconsiderable length and of a character such that it has previously beenimpossible to introduce into a water-sealed heating chamber.

According to the present invention the articles are adapted to beintroduced into a water-sealed spaceor chamber from which they can beintroduced into the furnace chamber by mechanical charging means such ascan be removed from the furnace chamber after the charging process.

A chamber is provided, the interior of which is sealed by water or othersuitable liquid, but such chamber is adapted to be charged through .anopening of width or length adapted to permit of the introductiontherethrough of elongated articles in a direction laterally of theirlength. In cases in which the said chamber is of elongated form adaptedto accommodate the tubes or like articles longitudinally and in ahorizontal position, the charging aperture occurs at the side of thechamber. This charging aperture is belowthe water level, and in theprocess of charging, the articles arev lowered into the water at aposition externally of the chamber, then displaced laterally of theirlength into position in the lower part of the chamber and finallyelevated into the upper part of the said chamber into a position abovethe water level. This chamber is in alinement with the furnace chamber,and the articles are then adapted to be longitudinally in troduced intothe heating chamber of the furnace.

The mechanism for handling the articles in this process of charging maybe varied considerably.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into practice, reference may be had to the appended explanatorythree sheets of drawings, upon which Figure 1 is a sectional elevationof a furnace according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the furnace shown in Fig. 1, theplane of section being on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section, the plane of section being on line 3-3of Fig. 2.

Ina convenient embodiment of the present invention, the furnace has anelongated horizontal heating chamber a, and in alinement with this andat the same level is a charging chamber 6 of substantially the length ofthe furnace heating chamber. This charging chamber is suitably inclosed,and said chamber extends downwardly considerably below the level of theheating chamber of the .furnace. This lower part of the charging chamberis adapted to be filled with water. On one side the wall or partition 0inclosing the charging chamber is discontinued at a position a short waybelow the surface (Z of the water. At a suitable distance outwardly ofthis wall or partition a water-confining wall or partition 6 extendsupwardly from the bottom of .the chamber. This wall or partitionextending upwardly from the bottom of the chamber extends suitably abovethe water level, and a part of the surface of the water is thus exposedexternally of the charging chamber.

In the lower water-confining part of the charging chamber a trolley orcarriage member f is adapted to move laterally. This carriage or trolleymember may be moved into a position in which it is below. that part ofthe water surface which is outside of the charging chamber. When in thisposition the articles may be placed upon the carriage. The carriage isthen moved laterally into the part of the water space below the chargingchamber proper. In this movement the trolley is adapted to move upon alift or elevator g. The trolley runs upon rails which are provided inthe stationary part of the water space, and which are alined with railsprovided upon the elevator. lVhen in position upon the elevator thecarriage is adapted to be raised by the latter until the articles arelocated in an inclosed position in the charging chamber 6 above thewater surface.

The elevator maybe adapted to be operated by any appropriate means.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, screwed stems in are secured attheir lower extremities to the top of the elevator, and said screwedstems work within worm wheels 71 suitably incorporated to rotate andbeing appropriately restrained from axial derangement. The worm wheels2' are in mesh with worms 7' provided upon a horizontal shaft adapted tobe operated in any appropriate manner, as for instance manually by ahandle Z through the medium of chain gear m.

The carriage or trolley f carries or involves a mechanical chargingapparatus comprising, for instance, a charging bearer or bearers adaptedto be displaced longitudinally to convey the articles into the heatingchamber.

In the construction illustrated the trolley f carries fixed rails itupon which movable rails or bearers 0 are adapted to run or movehorizontally and longitudinally. For this purpose the movable rails 0are connected together at their rear extremities by a bracket 39 whichcarries rollers Q occurring above and below the fixed rails n. The fixedrails 1?, also carry at their front extremities rollers r upon which themovable rails 0 rest. 8 is an endless chain carried by the trolley andrunning around chain wheels 6, the axes of which are immovable inrelation to the trolley. The endless chain 8 is secured to the bracket79 at u. Rotation of either of the chain wheels t'thus has the effectthat the rails 0 are moved longitudinally in relation to the rails a. Inthe furnace, grooves 12 are provided in the floor of the goods chamber.These grooves o accommodate the supporting rails 0 when the latter areadvanced bearin the articles to into the articles chamber. fter thegoods have been located in the articles chamber, the rails 0 may be lowered by lowering the elevator from the lever Z, and after the rails 0have by this means been relieved of the weight of the articles, and thelatter have thereby been deposited upon the floor of the articleschamber, the rails 0 can be withdrawn by the operation of the endlesschain 8.

One appropriate mechanism for operating the endless chain 8 isillustrated in the drawing. In this construction a chain wheel :0, Fig.2, is mounted to rotate with the rear in the floor of the articleschamber.

chain wheel 6'. This chain wheel a" is geared by a chain with a chainwheel 2 carried by a shaft 2 which is mounted in suitable bearings uponthe trolley. This shaft 2 extends laterally a substantial distance andcarries a chain wheel This chain wheel 3 is keyed to the shaft .2, andthe shaft is capable of axial movement in relation to the chain wheel.ll hen having in view Fig. 2, the trolley is displaced to the left, theshaft 2 slides within the chain wheel 3, which latter remainsstationary. a is an extension of the water chamber which accommodatesthe shaft 2 when the trolley is in its left-hand position. 5 is anendless chain passing around chain wheels 6 having permanently fixedaxes. 7 are take-up wheels, between which a vertical part of the chainoccurs which is adapted to mesh with the chain wheel 3. When the trolleyis in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the elevator is raised, theshaft 2 and chain wheel 3 are adapted to rise and remain in mesh withthe endless chain 5. When the trolley f has assumed its elevatedposition the shaft 2 may thus be operated from the chain 5, the upperpulley 6 of which may be adapted for manual operation, as for instanceby being fitted with a hand-lever 8. 9 is a suitable guide in the natureof a tube of rectangular cross section adapted to inclose the pinion 3throughout its vertical movement, and also to include that part of thechain 5 with which said pinion 3 cooperates. In the side of said guide 9adjacent to the trolley, an elongated slot is provided for accommodatingthe shaft 2. In the other side 0f the guide 9 a perforation 10 isprovided, through V which the shaft 2 may project when entering theextension 4L. Another method of operating the charger is by a motor of acharacter adapted to work whether or not it is immersed in the water.

In operation, when the trolley is moved laterally out of the elevator,the articles are lowered on to the charging bars, as for instance by theuse of a crane. The trolley is then displaced laterally into theelevator. The elevator is then raised, after which the supporting railsof the charger are advanced into the grooves in the floor of thearticles chamber. The elevator is then slightly lowered to deposit thearticles on the floor of the articles chamber. The supporting railsarethen withdrawn from the grooves In discharging, the operation'isreversed.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isr 1. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber, an elevatorin the liquidseal adapted to raise articles deposited thereon intoalinement with said heating chamber, and articles supporting means onsaid elevator adapted to be advanced together with the articles into theheating chamber to deposit the articles therein and to subsequentlywithdraw said articles.

2. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber. an elevator inthe liquidseal adapted to raise articles deposited thereon intoalinement with said heating chamber, a trolley adapted to be movedlaterally onto and off said elevator. and charging mechanism on saidtrolley carrying the articles and adapted to be projected.lrmgitudinally into the heating chamber to carry the articles thereinto.

3. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber, an elevator inthe liquid seal adapted to raise articles deposited thereon intoalinement with said heating chamber, a trolley adapted to be movedlaterally onto and off said elevator, and charging mechanism on saidtrolley comprising bars carrying the articles and adapted to beprojected longitudinally into the heating chamber to carry the articlesthereinto.

4. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber I havinglongitudinal grooves in its bottom. an elevator in the liquid-sealadapted to raise goods deposited thereon into alinement with saidheating chamber, a trolley adapted to be moved laterally onto and offsaid elevator, and charging mechanism on said trolley comprising barscarrying the articles and adapted to be projected laterally into theheating chamber, said elevator being subsequently slightly lowered toforce said bars to descend in said grooves so as to be released from thearticles by their engagement with the bottom of the heating chamber.

5. A furnace, including a liquid-sealed heating chamber, a liquid-sealedcharging chamber in alinement with said heating chamber, means forintroducing and removing articles from said charging chamber laterallyWithout breaking the seal, means for raising the articles in saidcharging chamber into alinement with said heating chamber, and meansarranged on said raising means carrying the articles into the heatingchamber to deposit the articles therein and for removing the articlestherefrom.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALFRED SMALLVOOD.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. BROWN, EDGAR N. WHEELER.

